About an hour ago I was at the gym doing a boulder problem for which the end required a heel hook to mantle and top out. While I had a significant amount of weight on my left heel, I felt a loud pop inside my left butt cheek.

My friends helped me stand up, and I noticed that I could only walk in small steps. Long steps hurt. I can stand on my right foot and raise my left knee as high as I want, that doesn't hurt. It does hurt deep inside my gluteus when I bend my leg backwards or try to take a normal step.

I took 400 mg of ibuprofen right away at the gym, and drove home. Walking upstairs to my apartment was difficult. I'm sitting on an ice pack, and the pain is not too bad right now. I'll try to schedule a doctor appointment when I wake up tomorrow. In the meantime: has anyone experienced this, or knows about this type of injury? Happy to provide more info, or try any flexions or extensions and report!

Hamstrings attach to your ischial tuberosity (aka sit bones). A common location for a strain or rupture is where the muscle belly transitions to the tendon. It's also possible to have an avulsion injury where the tendon completely pulls away taking a small piece of bone with it. Avulsion injuries often treated surgically if caught soon enough.

Did the exact same thing on the right side a couple of months ago at the crux of a similar hook/mantel roof problem. Sucks - still hard to sit on hard surfaces or even drive for an extended time, but then I'm old. If you're young you should have a faster recovery.

At the time mine occurred I was out of shape and climbing on autopilot as it's a route I put up and have done many times in the past. Moral of the story is to be in whatever minimal shape is required for the problem at hand.

When this happened to me it was a Hamstring tear which took $ months before i could sit comfortably. Lots of physio, and a slow rebuild. Ihave full strength now, but I need to warm up and stretch much more,andneed to exercise regularly or it stiffens up. Probably caused by Tight Hip flexors I think. Hope yours is not so bad

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. It is indeed a hamstring tear. The PT showed me how to ice, made me to wear an elastic bandage for a few days and told me that I should be good to climb again in four weeks.

If anyone in the Bay Area needs a good physical therapist who treats lots of climbers, PM me.